ISIS To Attack Miss Universe? Philippines Pageant Threatened On Islamic State-Linked Telegram Channels

The Miss Universe 2016 pageant could be a target for Islamic State group attackers in the Philippines this coming January. The SITE Intelligence Group confirmed Monday that an ISIS-affiliated channel on the encrypted messaging app Telegram shared a video clip showing followers how to make explosives with the recommendation "create bomb for Miss Universe."

The thread, directing its focus toward "brothers who love martyrdom," said "everyone who can" should use the video and accompanying 49-page document on weapons to attack the pageant, the Foreign Desk reported. The show is set for Jan. 30. Its specific location hasn't been announced yet.

Filipino authorities told Agence France-Presse they considered the threat to be "serious." Dionardo Carlos, a spokesman for the Philippine National Police, said a Miss Universe-specific security team would investigate the video further.

"That's going to be looked at," Carlos told AFP.

ISIS has been slowly ramping up its presence in the Philippines in recent months. In June, the group published a propaganda video aiming to recruit Filipino fighters, according to the Philippine Star. It also said it had at least 10 troops there.

"For those who cannot move to the land of Syria, join the Mujahideen [fighters] in the Philippines. If you cannot do that, send your sons to the land of jihad in the Philippines," Vocativ reported Malaysia's Abu Oun al-Malysione said in the video. "And if you cannot send your sons, then send your money to support the Mujahideen [fighters]."

Officials have also been dealing with Abu Sayyaf, another terror group that has sworn loyalty to ISIS. Earlier this year, Abu Sayyaf beheaded two kidnapped Canadians, Robert Hall and John Ridsdel, when it didn't receive government ransom for them, TIME reported. The group has also threatened to kill Kjartan Sekkingstad, of Norway.

But the military has been fighting back: Last month, nine Abu Sayyaf supporters were killed by government soldiers in the Sulu province, according to Al Jazeera.